Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What we're listening to
Apparently Josh should get an Irish for the next audiobook ;-). I admit this is from 2009, still... the Irish accent was voted as the sexiest in the world, over French:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/world...
Antonella wrote: "Apparently Josh should get an Irish for the next audiobook ;-). I admit this is from 2009, still... the Irish accent was voted as the sexiest in the world, over French:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk..."
I prefer Welsh, especially Gareth David-Lloyd :p
He should get GDL to read a book :D
I am listening to Ms. Piaf, "La vie en rose".
In a week I'll go to a conference of an acquaintance of mine who wrote the first Piaf's biography in German: Edith Piaf - Hymne an das Leben. It has only one 3-stars-rating here on GR, but it got lots of positive reviews in important magazines and on radio.
Antonella wrote: "In a week I'll go to a conference of an acquaintance of mine who wrote the first Piaf's biography in German: Edith Piaf - Hymne an das Leben. It has only one 3-stars-rating here on ..."Oh, but it's in German, one of the modern languages I can't read. If it were in Italian, Spanish or French I could... :(
Vivian wrote: "Antonella wrote: "In a week I'll go to a conference of an acquaintance of mine who wrote the first Piaf's biography in German: Edith Piaf - Hymne an das Leben. It has only one 3-sta..."Wow, now I know for certain I'm dumb.
Antonella wrote: "In a week I'll go to a conference of an acquaintance of mine who wrote the first Piaf's biography in German: Edith Piaf - Hymne an das Leben. It has only one 3-stars-rating here on ..."How do you think about the book, I trust you more than ratings!
Sabine wrote: "Vivian wrote: "Antonella wrote: "In a week I'll go to a conference of an acquaintance of mine who wrote the first Piaf's biography in German: Edith Piaf - Hymne an das Leben. It has..."That's silly. I have to be able to read those languages, it's part of my training. I didn't say I could speak them well. My French accent is execrable and my Italian sounds like Spanish (as so many of my Italian friends have pointed out).
Na wrote: "French was sexy in which epoch already? Though I can't say I can judge objectively."French is very sexy! It sounds like you guys are whispering sweet nothings all the time. In my mouth it sounds just funny. I can never pronounce the difference between "en" and "un".
Vivian wrote: "Sabine wrote: "Vivian wrote: "Antonella wrote: "In a week I'll go to a conference of an acquaintance of mine who wrote the first Piaf's biography in German: [book:Edith Piaf - Hymne an das Leben|18..."It's very interesting to speak so many different languages, to see the variations and for sure your brain has more training than mine!
Sabine wrote: "How do you think about the book, I trust you more than ratings!"No idea, I haven't read it. But as I said, all the reviews I heard were positive, and not every book get half an hour on different national radios.
Na wrote: "French was sexy in which epoch already? Though I can't say I can judge objectively."And Italian then?!?
Na wrote: "Antonella wrote: "And Italian then?!?"LOL. But the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence! :)"
I still vote for Welsh :p
Na wrote: "Oh my, I can imagine, we have weird sounds. The nasals vowels... I wish I was able to explain you how to differentiate them but without making you hear the distinction by exaggeration, I'm at a loss for words. Lets try...[ã] "en, an" is a softer version of a nasal sound. In reading the sound came more from the throat.
[œ̃] "un, um" is way more nasal. The sound is distinct, like a nose-pinched version of "en". :P
(I pronounced [œ̃] "un, um", like the [ɛ̃] "ain, aim, eim, ein, in, im, ym, yn"). "
I do get the difference of the sounds, but I have to really think before saying them. The nasal vowels kill me, they're more difficult than the reputed difficult "r" sound. The way people explain it to us is that while "un" is very nasal, "en" sounds like the initial sound American people make when we say "uh huh".
Na wrote: "Vivian wrote: "It sounds like you guys are whispering sweet nothings all the time."
Oh but we do. *nod nod* :D"
:D Really?
*sits down and stares at Na in adoration*
Mod
Wait. Was French ever NOT sexy?!
Na wrote: "Vivian wrote: "It sounds like you guys are whispering sweet nothings all the time."Oh but we do. *nod nod* :D
It's funny because I think Spanish and Italian are like that. Beautiful languages and..."
Yes, our teacher used 'Un Bon Vin Blanc' to get us properly nasaled :p
Na wrote: ":D Really?*sits down and stares at Na in adoration* "
Ah ah. Now I will feel bad if you or others got wrong expectations.
I believe it's more a 'romance language' attitude. We are more prone to ..."
Paris is very romantic! ;)
I am listening to (again!) Someone killed his editor. Maybe it's just me but I somehow find the book funnier with every reread (relistening).... this is the third time I go through it and I'm kind if in hysterics. Like when everyone is describing their book series.... wasn't there a part time funeral director part time private detective? Seriously... I was laughing my ass off before 8 o'clock in the morning driving to work.Kevin R. Free does excellent work of Kit as I've said somewhere before ;)
Ame wrote: "I am listening to (again!) Someone killed his editor. Maybe it's just me but I somehow find the book funnier with every reread (relistening).... this is the third time I go through it and I'm kind ..."I agree! It's such a funny book, and the humour is really well brought out by Kevin R. Free.
I'm going through all of L.B. Gregg's Smithfield stories. Amazing how Shannon Gunn is able to change it up so well with different MCs in all the books! Started with this one, and think it's my favorite of the series...
Seth and David
Mtsnow13 wrote: "I'm going through all of L.B. Gregg's Smithfield stories. Amazing how Shannon Gunn is able to change it up so well with different MCs in all the books! ..."I love these, too. I'll have to re-listen to choose my favourite; what a hard life!
Mtsnow13 wrote: "I'm going through all of L.B. Gregg's Smithfield stories. Amazing how Shannon Gunn is able to change it up so well with different MCs in all the books! Started with this one, and..."
I love that series! So the audiobooks are good? That's great. I want them!
Susinok wrote: "Mtsnow13 wrote: "I'm going through all of L.B. Gregg's Smithfield stories. Amazing how Shannon Gunn is able to change it up so well with different MCs in all the books! Started w..."
Funny thing us, I had read them back when we had Fictionwise, and the series started out with Gobsmacked but it had been so long ago, and when I saw them on audible, well the narrator AND whispersync combo price made them a great purchase!
I think she did some rewrites to make some things more relevant to current events and technology.
I just returned some Star Wars audios :-(So many sound effects, I couldn't concentrate on the story, shame because it was a great narrator and I love the 5 Thrawn books
Susinok wrote: "Mtsnow13 wrote: "I'm going through all of L.B. Gregg's Smithfield stories. Amazing how Shannon Gunn is able to change it up so well with different MCs in all the books! Started w..."
They are hilarious!
Susinok wrote: "You know, I'd also love The Dark Horse and The White Knight on audio..."Most definitely!
Mod
Yes!!! This is something I was thinking about yesterday. I read Hj's comment (on another thread) about listening to The Dark Tide for the third time and I accidentally read that she's listening to The Dark Horse! I had a momentarily surge of panic and joy: "What? How did I miss this one! It's finally on audio! Yay!" ;-)
So yes, it would be so lovely to have those two on audio. I love to revisit those books from time to time. I find them absolutely delightful. I've always had such a soft spot for Sean, and I adore the intimacy and dynamics between him and Dan, and the wonderful dialog these books have. Okay... time to reread!!! :-)
Mod
That's interesting actually because you already know where the jokes are coming, and so much of humor depends on surprise. But then Kevin's delivery/timing is so good, and you have fondness for the characters, so maybe that's what's at work? Interesting.
Mod
Kevin is so good.
Mod
Yes. They've been rewritten -- expanded too, I believe.
Mod
Generally I wouldn't do novellas. I rushed to put a bunch of them into audio when ACX changed their royalty terms, and I don't really know if that will pay off or not. Just as with ebooks, readers like to spend their credits on longer works.
But what I was thinking was maybe taking those two stories, combining them in a collection with a Christmas story, and then putting THAT onto audio.
It's just about time to take a look at my backlist again and see if I should rework some of these things. Change covers, change prices, combine stories...I don't know. There's always something else I should be doing besides writing.
Mod
Generally I wouldn't do novellas. I rushed to put a bunch of them into audio ..."
That would totally work, to combine the two in one audio. With or without the Christmas story. Though, I'm not complaining if you were to add more to it. lol.
I'm not against shorter audio works. Sometimes that's what I want. Something short.
In fact, I was listening to the short stories on my way home last night just for something different. And listened to the end of one last night when I couldn't fall asleep. I had about 15 minutes left, and I didn't hear the end. :-)
Josh wrote: "Susinok wrote: "You know, I'd also love The Dark Horse and The White Knight on audio..."Generally I wouldn't do novellas. I rushed to put a bunch of them into audio ..."
I love novella collections, less clutter in my Audible player :-)
It doesn't matter if it's a series or just a random collection
The Smithfield stories were smaller works, and I enjoyed listening to each one right after the other... But what was even nicer was to realize all these people lived in this community, yet each story stood on its own.
And yes, sometimes a novella is just right for a walk, or short trip somewhere :-D
It was probably worth it for her due to the same narrator doing the whole collection.
I've been thinking about Josh's comment on sex scenes, in connection with Stranger on the Shore that:"I increasingly consider leaving them out all together. This probably is largely due to the audio books. The experience of having my sex scenes read aloud has become almost intolerable."
And in another comment: "I don't know. Somehow it's not a problem sharing these scenes with readers, but a narrator makes it public in a very different way."
I find the difference between the print or ebook and the audiobook fascinating, and this is a new angle on that difference which I'd like to understand.
Hj wrote: "I've been thinking about Josh's comment on sex scenes, in connection with Stranger on the Shore that:"I increasingly consider leaving them out all together. This probably is large..."
Hmm... I may be way off base... but I think that has to do with how much of himself he puts into these emotional exchanges (because his sex scenes are full of emotion and baring of the character's drives). So, it may be that, or it may be a social conditioning. *shrugs* Having them read out loud may seem like listening to some recondite part of his psyche or part of himself that he is not willing to acknowledge and that is guaranteed to freak anyone out. There is a strange intimacy to writing and reading that is sort of... betrayed when the words are read out loud.
I love reading his sex scenes, but I can do without them too. He is an excellent author and his books are always enjoyable. There are other themes that I have grown to appreciate in his books. The use of language, the cultural references, the elegance, the surfeit of wit, the pacing, the setting.
/armchair critic out
Josh wrote: "Susinok wrote: "But what I was thinking was maybe taking those two stories, combining them in a collection with a Christmas story, and then putting THAT onto audio. ..."Sounds perfect to me! But finish Tattoo Boy first... :)
Mod
"I increasingly consider leaving them out all together. This probably is large..."
Maybe it's just that I have been writing fiction most of my life, and so it's easy to forget about the reader. I know there will be a reader, but basically I don't think about the reader until the book is in the works and I'm trying to figure out how to promote it.
But audio is different. It might be that the audio process is still so new to me, so I am conscious of it in an acute but temporary way. Maybe in another year or so I'll look back and these comments and wonder what the heck my problem was.
I don't like thinking of readers when I'm writing. By which I mean, I try and write coherently, but thinking of an audience is inhibiting. And not just for sex scenes, though sex scenes are definitely the worst.
Josh wrote: "Hj wrote: "I've been thinking about Josh's comment on sex scenes, in connection with Stranger on the Shore that:"I increasingly consider leaving them out all together. This probab..."
Maybe you need to listen to other people's sex scenes on audio to inure yourself (and to see just how bad they can get sometimes...)
But do NOT leave them out just because you don't want to listen to them later! If you really hate them that much, then I will offer to listen to them all for you. I'll throw myself on that sword for you... cause I'm generous like that.
:)
Mod
"I increasingly consider leaving them out all together..."
Heh. This last time it did actually go through my mind...who could I get to listen to this? :-D But again, too much a control freak to relinquish that responsibility.
I think you will win if you just consider to continue thinking of the reader, and forget about an audience. A narrator, if they are a professional 'actor' will read it out loud just fine, and I'd hate to lose this element because you are uncomfortable. Maybe, as you say, you just need more exposure, and listening to others' work done poorly should let you know we know what we are talking about as far as the quality of your 'scenes'.
*falling on sword with Susinok*
They are never gratuitous, and always paced just right as far as I'm concerned.
Mod
I (also) like that idea very much!
Mod
*suddenly delurking after being gone so long I'm presumed missing or dead*
I know, right? It's like eavesdropping on phone sex that you had in your imagination that somehow leaked out into the real world. Seems perverse in a way that silent text does not. My suggestion is to leave them in and just fast forward to the end of them, cause IMHO you put too much characterization into scenes of sexual intimacy to eliminate them without impairing the book's structure.
*submerges self back into the sticky and uncomfortably clammy Land of Lurkers*
Nicole wrote: "*submerges self back into the sticky and uncomfortably clammy Land of Lurkers* "*ugh* Are you sure you want to go back there? Sounds unhealthy with all that sticky and clammy... ;-)
Nicole wrote: "Josh wrote: "I increasingly consider leaving them out all together. This probably is largely due to the audio books. The experience of having my sex scenes read aloud has become almost intolerable...."I agree with Nicole's humble opinion! I can completely understand your feeling of vulnerability as a writer when you listen to your sex scenes, and even the the possible awkwardness in asking a narrator to read them aloud. However, I think of my favourite stories of yours, and I cannot imagine them without the scenes of sexual intimacy, so much would have been lost. And I think in a crude sort of way - if the book is predominately a romance - as a reader and a listener, I want the pay-off! So I too fall on my sword with Susinok.
And as Mtsnow13 has already posted, there are so many popular audiobooks/books filled with sex scene after sex scene that are just unnecessary or badly done. Some writers think that if they chain together (cringe-worthy, clichéd) sex scenes they can forget about writing a romance or a plot. You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about!
LJ wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Josh wrote: "I increasingly consider leaving them out all together. This probably is largely due to the audio books. The experience of having my sex scenes read aloud has become almo..."I don't need sex-scenes to enjoy a book, maybe because I am old enough to remember a time when authors had their books banned for having descriptive sex in them (!) so I didn't actually encounter real sex scenes in books before I got rather adult.
And too many books have too many badly written, long-winded and boring scenes. I can't imagine listening to them, at least if I am reading, I just skip over.
When all that is said, I never skip one of Josh's scenes. They are always just the right amount, the right length, makes sense and forwards the narration, not to mention how poetic and beautiful they are.
Calathea wrote: "Nicole wrote: "*submerges self back into the sticky and uncomfortably clammy Land of Lurkers* "*ugh* Are you sure you want to go back there? Sounds unhealthy with all that sticky and clammy... ;-)"
I have heard it is so unhealthy there you might get chest congestion, maybe even pneumonia or even tuberculosis. So beware! Better come forward into the Land of Delurkers, where the sun always shines, (except for life-giving rain at appropriate intervals) the wind is mild and gentle and the apple blossoms bloom year round.
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Of course it does have Jude Law from his "astonishingly pretty" period, which makes it appealing. :D